Dümmen Plays Fair (Trade) with Poinsettias

Chris Beytes

One of the things we expect to find more of at European shows than at U.S. shows are signs of environmentalism. Europeans always seem to be a bit ahead of us in embracing such movements—often at the behest of big retailers, who are spurred on by consumers.

Yet this year at IPM Essen, we didn’t see much of that. Yes, MPS is always there with new initiatives. And we saw herbs in biopots. But not much else.

Except at the Dümmen stand, where Sonja Dümmen told me about their new Fairtrade poinsettia initiative. Fairtrade, a trademark of Fairtrade International, the NGO that oversees the program, is widely used for coffee, cocoa, sugar, rice, gold, cotton, cut flowers and other commodities that come from developing nations. The idea of Fairtrade is that workers get decent working conditions and safe and secure employment. Ten percent of the sale of the product goes back to the workers’ communities to be spent as they see fit.

Dümmen’s Ethiopia facility will be certified as a Fairtrade production site—the first young plant facility to be certified. POP will ensure that message gets to the retail consumer.

According to Sonja, Fairtrade cut roses sell for a 30% premium at retail. Does she think the same can happen with Fairtrade poinsettias?

“We hope so!” she replied. GT